Speaker
Description
Vendor markets, often perceived as merely hubs of commerce, are, in fact, vital generators of urban life. Historically, food markets have played a pivotal role in fostering community resilience by creating employment opportunities, integrating immigrants, and enriching cultural identities (Morales, 2010). The social spaces nurtured within markets help shape the unique identities of modern cities (Parham, 2013; Morales, 2011; Ledesma & Giusti, 2021). The concept of "haggling" transcends mere economic transactions, embodying the intensity and complexity of human interactions within these spaces (Morales, 2011). These markets function as convergence points for diverse stakeholders, from formal municipal authorities to non-traditional actors such as vendors' unions (Von Broembsen, 2024; Costa et al., 2015).
Thus, urban markets serve as an interesting site for examining policy evolution and collective bargaining processes in contemporary cities. Specifically, this research focuses on Haifa's Talpiot Market, situated within the ethnically diverse urban fabric of Haifa, Israel. The market's deep embeddedness in the city's historical and cultural narratives provides a rich context for examining urban transformation. Current developments—including comprehensive structural renovations, the proliferation of new business establishments, and the dissolution of traditional vendor stalls—exemplify the complex dynamics between various governing forces.
This analytical framework positions vendor markets as microcosms of urban governance, functioning as "policy laboratories" where formal and informal governance structures intersect and evolve.
The study identifies two key governance entities shaping the market's development. The first is the municipality, which holds formal ownership, regulatory authority, and provides financial resources. The second is the vendors' union, a formal organization that functions as an informal governing body. The union's influence extends beyond the market itself to oversee the broader food quarter, contributing to the neighborhood's revitalization by offering affordable food options to the area's economically disadvantaged population.
Through this case study, the research examines the intricate negotiation processes that shape urban renewal, particularly the dynamic interplay between top-down and bottom-up governance. Rather than accepting a simplistic binary opposition between hierarchical and grassroots approaches, this study problematizes the traditional dichotomy between top-down and bottom-up governance models, revealing their intricate interdependencies and overlapping mechanisms (Eizenberg, 2019).
The case of Talpiot Market illuminates the complexity of power relations and the transformative potential of collective action in shaping urban commons. It demonstrates how vendor markets operate as experimental spaces for policy implementation, synthesizing formal municipal frameworks with informal governance mechanisms. Through analysis of these dynamics, this research explores how collective bargaining processes shape urban space, contribute to community resilience, and negotiate competing stakeholder interests within the context of urban renewal.
The research methodology is based on qualitative research tools, namely conducting semi structures interviews with key agents and the analysis of secondary data on the recent planning history of the market. Through an analysis of the interactions between consumers and creators of the renewed space, the study seeks to connect urban planning theory with the everyday experiences of city residents.
References
Costa, N., Mackay, M., Martín Perez, O., Navarro, G., Partridge, A., Portinaro, A., & Scheffler, N. (2015) Urban markets: Heart, soul, and motor of cities—Making city markets the drivers of sustainable urban development. City of Barcelona: Institut Municipal de Mercats de Barcelona (IMMB). Available at: https://urbanexpert.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/02/Urban-Markets_final-publication.pdf (Accessed: [date]).
Eizenberg, E. (2019) 'Patterns of self-organization in the context of urban planning: Reconsidering venues of participation', Planning Theory, 18(1), pp. 40–57.
Ledesma, E. and Giusti, C. (2021) 'Why Latino vendor markets matter: Selected case studies of California and Texas', Journal of the American Planning Association, 87(3), pp. 341–353.
Morales, A. (2010) 'Planning and the self-organization of marketplaces', Journal of Planning Education and Research, 30(2), pp. 182–197.
Morales, A. (2011) 'Marketplaces: Prospects for social, economic, and political development', Journal of Planning Literature, 26(1), pp. 3–17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0885412210388040.
Parham, S. (2013) Market place: Food quarters, design and urban renewal in London. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Von Broembsen, M. (2024) 'Collective bargaining for the "new" working class: Putting personal work relations to work for street vendors', Industrial Law Journal. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwae040.
| Keywords | Urban markets, Governance structures, Collective bargaining, Urban renewal, Community resilience |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
